Io initially stayed in a traveling circus, which was the only place he had belonged since he was a child. Later, he was forced to leave and escaped while trekking through the countryside on the border between Poland and Italy. He encountered both cruel and warm situations, and along the way, he observed the stupidity and victory of human nature. During Io's journey, he was helped and hindered by various characters, including a young Italian priest (Lorenzo Zuzzolo), a countess (Isabelle Huppert) and a noisy Polish football team.